Views on Dreams

I understand dreaming as a natural function of the psyche, natural because dreams ‘come’ to us, we don’t produce them. Dreams are images to observe, perceive, meditate upon, and project unto the world, as well as unto my network of understandings (my world): the web of relationships, stories, interests, actions and projects, my surroundings.

An image of a dream is like a smell or a taste, a sight or sound, and most certainly touches me, in ways I can realize or not. When I project the image unto outer facts and people (unto the world) and meditate upon it, I connect inner and outer worlds. This process informs me of what is pressing for my attention.

Let us imagine that a 2-year old toddler happened in my dream last night. What could this image mean? How could I understand it and make it part of the way I interpret the world? How could this image help me and support me? In any case, I would ask how could this image extend, widen, transform or change my field of perception, considerations and views.

I would ask myself… (when using the dream as sign-metaphor) for instance: is one of my children, siblings, relatives now two years old?… if so, I would explore how could the image ‘translate’ (how is that particular toddler living his life at this moment as the toddler within my psyche) and I would follow that thread…

Another possibility is taking that image into the world and wonder where am I like a 2-year toddler. How am I curious or hungry, in a tantrum or innocent, feeling abandoned or happy?… and follow the dream image to see where it leads….

A movement that would further meditation could also be what is new in my life that is 2-years old? This might just be this curious toddler that depends on me for care and nurturing. He may need carrying around, so he can discover new things and widen his horizons (for instance a new interest). Again I would follow the dream, and certainly would stay with the toddler paying attention…

Or, could this toddler represent a certain kind of relationship with the world: perhaps a new friend of 2-years, with whom I share a particular interest? or refer to the particulars of this friend and this relationship?

Or, is the toddler a symbol that announces something completely new that I have yet to perceive and feel in my life, a fountain of playfulness and creativity every new child is?

All these considerations certainly further other meditations widening the sense of life, extending and furthering life into other paths, towards other interests, shaping a language to interpret and comprehend the world.